Freshwater rays may be trained to feed themselves using tweezers or even your fingers. Monster fish food, Bottom Feeder Tablets, Shrimp Pellets, and Cichlid Pellets are all sinking pellet or tablet meals that many rays, particularly captive bred individuals, will consume. Information and Buying Tips for Freshwater Stingrays
Potamotrygonidae
River stingrays or freshwater stingrays are Neotropical freshwater fishes of the Potamotrygonidae family in the order Myliobatiformes, one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are found in rivers in tropical and subtropical South …
What do freshwater stingrays eat?
Whole fish and worms will also make up a good portion of Freshwater Stingray diet, not mentioned above, since they are generally a less, crunchy hard food category, yet are readily taken and accepted by Stingrays.
How do you train a stingray to eat from food?
avoid metal objects and appear to be frightened by metal; however, because they can sense metal, they will quickly learn that when there is a metal object in the aquarium, food is being offered. In this way, you can teach your stingray to feed directly from forceps, and selectively feed it more food.
What do you feed a newly acquired Ray?
First foods for newly acquired rays should be blackworms or tubifex worms. These foods seem to be the most readily accepted, and are small enough to be inadvertently ingested either by mouth or through the spiracle, thereby giving the ray an opportunity to taste these possibly unfamiliar foods by chance.
Where can I buy freshwater stingrays?
In the list below are a few species of freshwater stingrays that have become popular in the aquarium trade in recent years. Most of these species can be found at your local fish store or from a breeder. 1. Potamotrygon Motoro (Ocellate river stingray, Motoro)
What do you feed your stingray?
Stingrays are purely carnivorous and, like most carnivores, they like to eat animals smaller than themselves. In particular, they like to eat animals that live on or beneath the sand like worms, clams, oysters, snails and shrimp . A la carte for stingrays are small fish and squid.
How often do you feed stingrays?
A stingray's diet is very simple. These creatures only need to eat once every two weeks to stay healthy. It is in large part because they have evolved into their current position as hunters. Stingrays eat very little, usually only a few grams of food per day.
How long can stingray survive without food?
Stingrays typically eat 2-3 times a day. However, they can go without food for up to two weeks. This is likely because stingrays can store fat in their bodies.
Can you feed wild stingrays?
The wild stingrays are so used to being fed every day that they usually come around this time to the shore. They are hungry but they are no threat to humans. Although their sting is still visible you are best not touching it.
What freshwater stingrays eat?
Freshwater stingrays eat crustaceans and other invertebrates. Their powerful jaws can easily crush the shells of clams and mussels, and they will occasionally eat small fish.
How do you take care of a freshwater stingray?
Most freshwater rays can be kept at a pH between 6.8 and 7.6, alkalinity between 1° and 4° (18ppm to 70 ppm) and temperature between 75° and 82° F. Ammonia and nitrite levels should always be zero and nitrates below 10 ppm. Many stingray owners use RO/DI water with a trace element restorer.
Do stingrays like to be pet?
“We think we have pretty strong evidence that they don't get anything negative out of it,” Van Bonn said. “In fact, there's evidence that they do get something out of it and they seem to enjoy it.”
Do stingrays need water to breathe?
Stingrays need water to survive. They breathe using gills on the underside of their body to collect oxygen from the water. Without water, a stingray will suffocate.
How long can stingrays stay out of water?
Never hold a ray out of the water longer than 4 minutes. A longer timespan can damage the ray. It's important not to hold the ray out of the water longer than necessary.
Should you feed stingrays?
0:104:29How to Feed a Freshwater Stingray! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's so much different you don't know what to feed the stingray. You're trying to feed it pelletsMoreIt's so much different you don't know what to feed the stingray. You're trying to feed it pellets you just picked it up from the store you're not sure what's wrong it's not eating foods like these.
How are stingrays Fed?
Stingrays' mouths are on the underside of their bodies. You'll be guided to feed them in a way that keeps all fingers away from their mouths. Unless you're feeding a ray, the most comfortable and safest places to touch them are their backs and “wings.”
Can stingrays smile?
Others claimed that the stingray's “smile” was actually an expression of fear. “He is screaming not laughing,” fumed one TikTok user in all caps. Another commented on the YouTube montage: “Hm. I'm getting the impression these guys are misinterpreting the stingray's body language.
How long can stingrays live?
Stingrays live for around 15 to 25 years in the wild. In captivity, this lifespan can drop down to as little as five years in freshwater tanks with proper care.
What animal eats stingrays?
Predators. Large fish, including lemon and hammerhead sharks, will prey on southern stingrays.
How do stingrays live?
Stingrays are commonly found in the shallow coastal waters of temperate seas. They spend the majority of their time inactive, partially buried in sand, often moving only with the sway of the tide.
Are stingrays healthy to eat?
With low mercury levels, it is generally safe to eat stingrays, and the fish provides good nutritional value to the body. However, stingrays feature venomous barbs running along their spines, which are not safe for consumption.
Relatives of Sharks
Stingrays are relatives of sharks, sawfish, skates and guitarfish, having cartilaginous skeletons rather than true bones. As their name suggests, stingrays have a venomous barb – actually a modified scale – on their tails, which they use as a defense mechanism.
A Stingray's Natural Habitat
Freshwater stingrays are found in river systems in Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Aquarium shops in North America typically offer members of the genus Potamotrygon (Family Potamotrygonidae), which are native to South America.
Water Requirements for Stingrays
Stingrays are very sensitive to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, so it's vitally important to understand the Nitrogen Cycle and maintain pristine water quality. To complicate matters, they produce high amounts of ammonia relative to their size.
Housing Requirements for Stingrays
Simply put, when it comes to the proper sized aquarium for freshwater stingrays, the bigger the better. Height is not critical, but a length of at least 72" to 84" and depth (width) of 24" to 36" should be considered the minimum for long term housing.
What Do Stingrays Eat?
Freshwater stingrays are carnivores, feeding mostly on fish and crustaceans in the wild. Many hobbyists feed live blackworms to get new rays eating as soon as possible, but frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp, raw shrimp or white fish (tilapia) and live earthworms are better choices once rays are acclimated to their new surroundings.
Buying Stingrays
As of 2017, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah prohibit private individuals from owning Potamotrygon species, and Colorado and Florida require a permit. Always check local and state regulations before purchasing any animal.
Stingray Breeding Level – Difficult
A number of hobbyists have had success breeding freshwater stingrays, but it takes time, space and dedication. Females are larger than males and have two uteruses, meaning they can have litters of pups from two different males at the same time. Males have modified pelvic fins called claspers, which they use to inseminate the females.
What is the best stingray for aquariums?
4. Potamotrygon Leopoldi (Black Diamond, P13, Leo) Usually considered the ultimate aquarium stingray, the Potamotrygon Leopoldi is even more majestic than its P12 counterparts. While not all Potamotrygon Leopoldi are black diamonds, they are still considered variations of the same species.
What is the best stingray to keep?
The Motoro is a good first stingray because it is the most forgiving of all the species on this list. It is a dark brown color with yellow or orange spots. However, the Motoro is a large species and can grow up to 36 inches in diameter. If you intend to keep a Motoro , make sure you have adequate tank space. 2.
How many pups do stingrays have?
Female stingrays are capable of giving birth to 1 -- 12 pups with each pregnancy. Some species can give birth to more pups than others, and larger females tend to have larger litters. The gestation period usually lasts about three months, with different species differing by a few days each.
How much space do stingrays need?
Floorspace. Stingrays appreciate lots of floorspace. As they grow large, they’ll need NO LESS than three by five feet worth of floorspace available to them. A tank with these dimensions will be able to house a maximum of two freshwater stingrays comfortably into adulthood.
How tall should a stingray tank be?
Stingrays usually find security in the substrate at the bottom of the tank. Hence, a height of two feet will be more than sufficient for them. Having a shorter tank will also aid with the weekly aquarium maintenance.
What color is a pearl stingray?
It has a light brown base with mottled circular orange patterns. As the Pearl stingray ages, its light brown coloration generally becomes darker while its mottled patterns become less obvious. This species is also a good choice for hobbyists looking to start keeping stingrays. 3.
Where do pearl stingrays live?
The Pearl stingray is a beautiful stingray that is endemic to the Tapajos river system in the Amazon. Most of the species on this list are endemic to a particular Amazonian river system. This species grows slightly smaller than the Motoro and can reach sizes of up to 30 inches in diameter.
What are freshwater aquarium stingrays?
You probably already have a pretty good idea of what a stingray looks like. With a wide, floppy disc shape, the stingray has sometimes been referred to as the ‘sea pancake’. Freshwater stingrays tend to be smaller than their marine counterparts.
Where do freshwater stingrays come from?
Many species of stingray are marine, meaning they live at sea. They tend to prefer shallow waters, and like to move with the tide.
The basics of freshwater stingray
Some species of wild freshwater stingray have been rumored to achieve sizes several feet wide. These are obviously not suitable for any home aquariums. Even the smallest of freshwater aquarium stingrays can still get pretty big.
Choosing the right stingray
There are several types of stingray that are found in the aquarium trade. The most common species are from South America, and are known as Potamotrygon. When choosing a stingray, there are several things to look out for, and things to avoid. Always use a trusted breeder, to ensure the health of your stingray.
What to avoid when choosing a stingray
When choosing a stingray, you want a healthy and happy companion. They should look well-fed, with none of the cartilage showing through the skin. If you can, ask to observe the stingrays as they feed. A healthy stingray has a voracious appetite. The only time it’s normal for them to eat less is when they’re introduced to a new environment.
Caring for your freshwater stingray
Although they may be rewarding, freshwater stingrays aren’t the easiest of fish to care for. If you intend to keep them, you have to be prepared for the financial sacrifice, as well as the space a stingray needs.
Final Thoughts
Stingrays are curious, playful, and endless fun to watch. While they may have some very specific needs, the reward is more than worth the effort.
